Singapore: The ISPE Singapore Conference, being held in association with Interphex Asia 2012, started with a clear note from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that drug manufacturers need to implement and optimize good manufacturing practises at all levels. The FDA sent out a clear message to manufacturers to invest in quality, to work with regulatory partners and have an understanding that quality has to be a part of the site culture.

Interphex Asia, a platform for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical technologies, services, innovations, and industry professionals, is being held on May 28 and 29 at Suntec, Singapore.

The three-day ISPE Singapore Conference, which comprises workshops and individual tracks, kicked off May 27, 2012. It is an educational platform addressing pharmaceutical manufacturing issues relevant to both multinational and local manufacturers of the region. The event will be held at Suntec, Singapore.

Mr Sia Chong Hock, director, audit and licensing division, Health Products Regulation Group, Health Science Authority, Singapore, addressed the drug manufacturers fraternity at the ISPE Singapore Conference on May 28. He noted that collaboration is the way forward for ASEAN (Association of South East Asian nations) in order to face competition from neighboring pharma powers, including India, China and Japan. Addressing the ASEAN countries, he emphasized that there is a need to harmonize regulations in response to establishment of the ASEAN Economic Committee by 2015.

He shared that an ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on GMP inspection has been signed using Pharmaceutical Inspection Cooperative/Scale framework and is currently in implementation phase. Some of the benefits will include avoiding duplication of GMP audits, saving time and resources and facilitating trade in medical products.